Fiat to Sell More Cars in Latin America Than Europe in 2013

Fiat SpA expects to sell more cars in South America and Mexico this year than in western Europe, says Chairman John Elkann.

In 2012, Fiat and partner Chrysler Group LLC delivered 800,000 vehicles across Europe and 979,000 units in Latin America.

Elkann tells a conference that Fiat's Latin American sales are being buoyed by its dominance in Brazil, where the company boosted sales 11% to a record 838,200 passenger and light commercial vehicles last year. Wholesale volume in Latin America rose 7% in the first quarter of this year to 230,000 vehicles, including an 8% gain to 191,000 units in Brazil.

Strength in Latin America is offsetting some of the weakness in Fiat's home region, where volume is expected to drop 5%-10% in 2013, marking the sixth straight year of declines. Fiat-Chrysler sales in Europe were flat at 266,000 vehicles in the January-April period of this year.